Ukrainian secret services have launched an international smear campaign against Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, according to Máté Kocsis, parliamentary group leader of the governing party Fidesz.
In a post on his Facebook page, Kocsis stated: ‘At today’s meeting of the National Security Committee, we received information from the secret services that, based on intelligence they have obtained, the Ukrainian state is launching a smear campaign against the Hungarian Prime Minister, with the stated aim of undermining his international image and weakening Hungary’s ability to defend its interests.’
According to Kocsis, the operation involves Hungarian and foreign journalists and media outlets publishing articles and materials—potentially including false information—intended to negatively influence international public opinion.
In his post, Kocsis also revealed that Ukraine has allocated a significant sum of money for the campaign. ‘The work and the collection of information, the fabrication of fake news from the Ukrainian side has already begun, and some members of the Hungarian press have been involved. Part of the press, which claims to be independent, is now willing to sell the country for Ukrainian money,’ he wrote.
While disinformation campaigns have become increasingly common, especially since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, it is unprecedented for Kyiv to launch a hybrid operation against a European Union and NATO member. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials have frequently lashed out at PM Orbán, accusing him of being pro-Russian and serving Moscow’s interests. However, a coordinated secret service operation marks a significant escalation.
Hungary is currently at odds with Ukraine over Kyiv’s decision to halt Russian gas transit through its territory, jeopardizing Hungarian energy security. Slovakia has also urged Ukraine to resume gas transit, with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico warning Zelenskyy that failure to do so could lead to Slovakia cutting its electricity support to Ukraine.
‘A coordinated secret service operation marks a significant escalation’
Notably, Fico has accused the volunteer-based Georgian Legion, which fights under the command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, of orchestrating a coup attempt against him. Slovakia even banned Georgian Legion commander Mamuka Mamulashvili from entering the country. Zelenskyy himself publicly endorsed the anti-government protests in Slovakia, stating: ‘Bratislava is not Moscow, Slovakia is Europe.’
According to Magyar Nemzet, as part of the Ukrainian secret service operation, Direkt36, a self-proclaimed investigative portal, has already begun producing a discrediting video about Viktor Orbán. Interestingly, Szabolcs Panyi, a journalist at Direkt36, has recently started sharing segments of a video ‘documentary’ alleging corruption involving Orbán and the Hungarian government.
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